Applicator wick for a writing instrument

ABSTRACT

A SELF-CLEANING WRITING POINT FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A NIB HAVING A GENERALLY CONICAL TIP THAT TERMINATES IN ROUNDED APEX, AND ABOUT WHICH IS WRAPPED AN APPLICATOR WICK COMPRISING A HELIX OF FINE RESILIENT WIRE. THE NIB HAS FEED CHANNELS THEREIN FOR SUPPLYING INK TO THE APPLICATOR WICK.

June 20, 1972 F. R. WITTNEBERT APPLICATOR WICK FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENTFiled 'Nov. 30 1970 INVEN T ()R. EQEOER/CK A? W/TT/VEBERT United StatesPatent Office 3,671,132 Patented June 20, 1972 US. Cl. 401-492 13 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-cleaning writing point for a writinginstrument, comprising a nib having a generally conical tip thatterminates in a rounded apex, and about which is wrapped an applicatorwick comprising a helix of fine resilient wire. The nib has feedchannels therein for supplying ink to the applicator wick.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Filed of the invention The presentinvention relates generally to ink writing instruments, and inparticular to a novel self-cleaning writing point for such aninstrument.

(2) Description of the prior art There have been many writing pointsproposed for applying ink to a writing surface, ranging from the ancientfeather quill, through metallic nibs with a split tip for ink flow, andsuch devices as the ballpoint. While such devices have been more or lesssuccessful, there is still need for a better ink writing instrument.

Ideally, a writing instrument should be adaptable for use by anyone,writing at any angle and with different writing pressures. This abilityis usually present only to a limited degree in presently availablewriting instruments designed for use with free-flowing liquid inks, itbeing necessary to hold many pens within close to a specified limitedorientation for proper operation. The ballpoint pen gives greaterfreedom than the conventional metal ni b, but the slow-flowing ballpointinks are objectionable to many.

There is thus a need for a writing point for use with free flowing inksthat is adaptable to a wide variety of writing positions and pressures.

Another problem encountered with many present ink writing points hasbeen the accumulation of minute particles scrapped from the writingsurface during use, which can affect the writing quality of the point.In particular, such particles can accumulate in the ink feed channels orpassages, to the extent where smooth ink flow is disrupted. Ideally, awriting point should be self-cleaning during use, to prevent suchharmful accumulations from happening.

There is thus a need for an improved writing point for ink writinginstruments, a point that can be used in several orientations and atdiffering writing pressures, and one that ideally will be self-cleaning.The present invention is addressed to that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present writing point includes a nib madeof resilient material, such as nylon or the like, and which has agenerally conical tip thereon terminating in a rounded apex. The nib hasink feed channels cut therein to communicate with the tip, and the rearend thereof can be mounted in a barrel. Preferably, the ink feedchannels in the nib are in communication with ink reservoir means housedwithin the barrel, in the usual manner.

Wrapped about the conical tip and the rounded apex of the nib is a tighthelix of resilient, fine wire, the nib having an axial bore in the apexthereof for tightly receiving an axially extending tongue on the helix.The helix constitutes an applicator wick, and when the writing point isin use functions to draw ink from the feed channels in the nib and applyit to a writing surface.

Specifically, as the writer uses the present writing point, theresilient nib and the resilient applicator wick helix will deform, andink from the feed channels will be worked between the minds of the helixat the point of contact with the writing surface. The rubbing togetheraction of the helix winds during writing as the helix deforms not onlyserves to feed ink to the point of contact with the writing surface, butalso acts to remove any accumulations of particles picked up from thewriting surface. Thus, the applicator wick is self-cleaning.

Because the applicator wick helix has a uniform cross section, andbecause the ink feed channels are arranged uniformly about the nib tip,the writing point can be held in substantially any desired orientationfor writing. The result is a writing tip that is convenient to use, andwhich can 'be used with good effect by anyone.

It is a principal object of the present invention to pro- 'vide awriting point for a pen writing instrument, designed so that the pen canbe held in substantially any orientation during use thereof.

Another object is to provide a writing point that will effectively applyfree flowing ink to a surface, and which is rugged and trouble free inoperation.

A further object is to provide a writing point for a pen that isself-cleaning during use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become readily apparent from the following description ofthe preferred embodiment, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawmgs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 'FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of afountain pen embodying the writing point of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the writingpoint and a portion of the barrel of the pen in FIG. 1, showing inparticular how ink is fed through the nib to the applicator wick;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view, taken on theline '3--3 of FIG. 2.;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of thetip of the nib and the applicator wick helix, for further showing theconstruction thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,a fountain pen is indicated at 2, and is fitted with the writing point 4of the invention. The pen 2 includes a barrel 6, within the front end ofwhich a feed element 8 is mounted by a collar 10, the components 6, 8and 10 being of conventional construction, and ink being supplied to thefeed element 8 from either a cartridge or a conventional refillablefiller assembly contained within the barrel 6.

The feed element 8 has an axial bore 12 of uniform diameter extendinginwardly from the front end thereof, and which terminates in an annularshoulder or seat 14. The present writing point 4 is mounted within theaxial bore 12, and includes a nib 16 made of a resilient material, suchas nylon.

The nib 16 includes an elongated cylindrical portion 18 having anexternal diameter such that said portion will be tightly received withinthe axial bore 12, the portion 18 being of less length than said bore.The nib 16 includes a conical tip 20 on its forward end that terminatesin a rounded apex 22, and a short cylindrical neck 24 of reduceddiameter at the base of the tip 20.

The angle and the dimensions of the tip 20 can, of course, be varied.But by way of example, an angle A of between about 11 and about 12 hasbeen found to give good results, one specific angle that has provedsatisfactory being ll" 42'. In a typical embodiment of the invention thelength of the conical tip 20 is about 0.096 inch, and the rounded apex22 has a radius of about 0.016 inch. It is again emphasized that theseangles and dimensions are given solely by way of example, and thatvariations therein are possible without departing from the invention.

The apex of the tip 20 has an axial bore 24 therein of uniform diameter,and which has a length about two-fifths that of the tip 20. The innerend of the bore 24 opens into an enlarged cylindrical ink feed channel26, which in turn opens at its inner end into an enlarged ink supplychannel 28. The rear end of the nib 16 has a notch 30 therein that opensinto the ink supply channel 28, for a purpose to be describedhereinafter.

The nib 16 has a plurality of axially extending, circumferentiallyspaced ink feed slots 32 cut in the forward end thereof, one side wall34 of each slot 32 being radial, as shown in FIG. The slots 32 extendfor the full length of the conical tip 20 and the cylindrical neck 24,and beyond the neck 24 for a substantial distance. Each slot 32 includesa front bottom wall portion 36 that lies parallel to the axis of thewriting point 4 and extends rearwardly from the apex of the tip 20 fornearly the length of the bore 24, and which lies radially between thediameter of the bore 24 and the diameter of the ink feed bore 26.

Extending outwardly at an angle B from the end of the front bottom wallportion 36 of each slot 32 in an inclined rear bottom wall portion 38,each such wall portion 36 intersecting the forward end of the channel 26so that a series of ink feed ports 40 are formed between the ink feedchannel 26 and the slots 32, one port 40 for each slot. The angle B ispreferably chosen to be just slightly greater than the angle A, so thatthe inclined rear bottom wall portions 38 lie generally parallel to thesurface of the conical tip 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom wall portions 36 and 38 of the slots 32do not lie flat, but rather are at an acute angle C to the radial sidewall 34 of the slot. Typically, the angle C will be about 60. When thewriting point 4 is in use ink thus flows from the reservoir means (notshown) contained in the barrel 6, into the channels 28 and 26, throughthe ports 40, and thence into the slots 32.

Ink is drawn from the slots 32 and applied to a writing surface by anapplicator wick 42, which comprises a tightly wound helix of resilientwire that is wrapped about the conical tip 20. The wick 42 is preferablymade from stainless steel wire, wound in an annealed state and then heattreated. Typically, the wire for the wick 42 has a diameter of about0.004 inch.

The wick 42 includes an axial anchor portion 44 which fits tightlywithin the cylindrical bore 24, and which extends rearwardly through theink feed bore 26 and the ink supply bore 28 of the nib 18 to terminatein a bent key tab 46 that is received in the notch 30. From the anchorportion 44 the wire of the wick 42 is wrapped helically about therounded apex 22, the inclined surface of the conical tip 20, and thecylindrical neck portion 24. For a typical conical tip 20 measuringabout 0.096 inch in length, and using 0.004 inch diameter wire, thehelix wick 42 will include about thirty-five turns, the helix beingtightly wound so that the turns thereof are in engagement with eachother.

In use, the writer will grasp the barrel 6, and will press the writingpoint 4 against a writing surface. No heed need be given to thecircumferential orientation of the writing point 4, since such issupplied with ink over the circumference thereof by the radially spacedfeed slots 32. When the writer thereafter moves the instrument, theturns of the resilient helix wick 42 at the point of engagement with thewriting surface will move relative to each other, and the resilient nib18 will flex. These combined actions will effect movement of ink fromthe adjacent slot(s) 32 outwardly onto the writing surface.

As writing with the instrument progresses, minute particles arefrequently scraped from the writing surface. Any accumulation of suchparticles between the turns of the Wick helix 42 is prevented by theflexing and rubbing together action of the turns of the wick, so thatthe writing point 4 is self-cleaning. The result is smooth, even writingon the writing surface.

While the writing point 4 has been described in connection with an inkreservoir, it is to be understood that such might also be incorporatedinto a drawing pen or the like, where ink is applied directly theretorather than by means of a reservoir.

Obviously, many other modifications and variations are possible in thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A writing point for a writing instrument, comprising: a resilientnib; and an applicator wick mounted on and in engagement with thesurface of said nib, and comprising a tightly wound helix of fileresilient wire.

2. A writing point for a writing instrument, comprising: a flexible nibhaving a generally conical tip thereon terminating in a rounded apex andbeing adapted to carry a supply of ink; and a resilient applicator Wickmounted on and tightly wrapped about the rounded apex and the generallyconical tip of said nib, said wick comprising a tightly wound helixhaving closely adjacent turns of fine resilient wire, said turnsengaging the surface of said nib for receiving ink therefrom.

3. A writing point as recited in claim 2, wherein said nib has an axialbore in the apex end thereof, said applicator wick helix including anaxially extending anchor portion receivable within said axial bore.

4. A writing point as recited in claim 3, wherein said applicator wickhelix comprises from about 25 to about 45 turns of resilient wire havinga diameter of about 0.004 inch.

5. A writing point as recited in claim 4, wherein said resilient wirecomprises annealed and heat treated sta nless steel.

6. A writing point as recited in claim 3, wherein said nib has feedchannel means therein opening beneath said applicator wick helix, forsupplying ink to said wick.

7. In a writing instrument including a barrel containing ink reservoirmeans, a writing point mounted on one end of said barrel, andcomprising: a flexible nib, the inner end of said nib being mountedWithin one end of said barrel, and said nib having feed channel meanstherein communicating the outer end thereof with said reservoir means;and a flexible applicator wick tightly mounted on the surface of saidouter end of said nib, and comprising a tightly wound helix havingadjacent, engaged turns of fine resilient wire said turns beingrelatively movable with respect to each other under writing pressure formoving ink from the channel means onto a writing surface.

8. In a Writing instrument including a barrel containing ink reservoirmeans, a writing point mounted on one end of said barrel, andcomprising: a nib made of resilient material, the inner end of said nibbeing mounted 'Within one end of said barrel, and the outer end of saidbarrel, and the outer end of said nib having a generally conical tipthereon terminating in a rounded apex, said nib having feed channelmeans therein communicating the said outer end thereof with saidreservoir means; and an applicator wick mounted on and tightly wrappedabout the rounded apex and the generally conical tip of said nib, saidwick comprising a tightly wound helix of fine resilient wire adjacentturns of the helix being in engagement with each other, said nib andwick being simultaneously flexible and the adjacent turns of the helixrubbing together under writing pressure.

9. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 8, wherein said nib hasan axial bore in the apex end thereof, said applicator wick helixincluding an anchor portion that extends axially therethrough and whichis receivable within said axial bore.

10. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein said feedchannel means comprises: a plurality of axially extending slots in saidnib extending over the length of said conical tip and said rounded apex,said nib containing an axial feed bore that is in communication withsaid slots and with said reservoir means.

11. In a writing instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said nibfurther includes a cylindrical tip portion adjacent the larger end ofsaid conical tip, said applicator wick helix also being wrapped about atleast a portion of said cylindrical tip portion.

12. In a writing instrument as recited in claim 11, wherein saidapplicator wick helix comprises from about 6 to about 45 turns ofresilient wire having a diameter of about 0.004 inch, and wherein saidconical tip tapers at an angle of from about 11 to about 12.

13. In a Writing instrument as recited in claim 12, wherein saidresilient wire comprises annealed and heat treated stainless steel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,825 11/1844 Park 401-2921,177,404 3/1916 Estes 401-258 1,836,342 112/1931 Siptrott 401-2922,289,998 7/1942 Salz l--258X 3,507,600 4/1970 Cress 401-258 LAWRENCECHARLES, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 401-258

